Word Origin & History

1560s, of uncertain origin; perhaps from French cousiner "cheat on pretext of being a cousin;" or from Middle English cosyn "fraud, trickery" (mid-15c.), which is perhaps related to Old French coçon "dealer, merchant, trader," from Latin cocionem "horse dealer." Related: Cozened; cozening; cozenage.

Example Sentences for cozen

It is the same with cousin (consanguineus), and to cozen or to deceive.

He had come to cozen me into letting him use me in return for a mockery of an honor.

Smile with an intent to do mischief, or cozen him whom he salutes.

But they cannot cozen it: they can only cozen their neighbours.

The world looks to them as if they could cozen it out of some ways and means of life.

The archaic verb to cozen is a metaphor of quite another kind.

This day my cozen Thomas dropped his hanger, and it was lost.

Up and there comes my she cozen Angier, of Cambridge, to me to speak about her son.

This day I sent my cozen Roger a tierce of claret, which I give him.

Yorkshire, to Yorkshire, or come Yorkshire over any person, to cheat or cozen him.